Sponge-gatherer



(No Model.)

J PEAOON. SPONGE GATHERER.

No. 581,611. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

l/VVEA/TOR WITNESSES.

ATTORNEYS.

UNiTEn STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOHN PEACON, OF KEY WVEST, FLORIDA.

SPONGE-GATHERER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,61 1, dated April 27, 1897. Application filed January 27, 1897. Serial No. 620,962. (No model.)

To all whom "(It 11mg concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN PEACON, of Key West, in the county of Monroe and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sponge-Gatherers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a device for gathering sponges from the bottom of the sea in deep water where the ordinary pole with grappling-hooks cannot be used without great labor and danger of breaking the pole.

It consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of a grappling device designed to be operated by two ropes at any desired depth in a simple, practical, and convenient way for the purpose of gathering sponges or any other article that may rest upon the bottom of the sea, as will be more fully described with reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the device in the position in which it is suspended above the sponge prior to grappling with the same, and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position assumed by the parts in seizing and raising the sponge.

In the drawings, A represents a U-shaped metal frame whose bent portion is uppermost and whose downwardly-projecting branches are split or bifurcated at their lower ends to form four supporting-legs a a aa,which ,when they strike the sea-bottom, maintain an upright position for the U-shaped frame.

B B are independent metal bails hinged upon a common axial bolt 0 to the U-shaped frame and projecting upon opposite sides of the same and having at their outermost bends a set of curved downwardly and inwardly projecting tines I) b.

To the top of the U shaped frame and crosswise upon the same is rigidly attached, by bolts or rivets, a cross-barD,whose outer ends are formed with eyes to receive the ropes E E, which pass freely through the same. These ropes E form a sort of sling, whose lower ends, after passing through the eyes of the rope E is then suddenly slacked and the bails B B, with their tines Z) Z), are allowed to fall with some force, which action causes the tines to penetrate the sponge near its base, taking a firm hold upon the same, as shown in Fig. 2.

Then leaving the rope E still slack the grapplin g device is lifted, with the sponge or other article, by means of the rope F.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1.- The grappling device consisting of a metal frame adapted to rest on the bottom of the sea and having a lifting-rope attached thereto, a cross-bar with eyes on the top of said frame, two bailshaving their ends hinged to said frame and provided at their outer bends with inwardly-projecting tines, and ropes passing through the eyes of the crossbar and attached to the bails and provided with an operating-rope substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The grappling device consisting of the U-shaped metal frame A with legs a a a a at the lower ends of the branches, and a perforated cross-bar D on top of the same, bails B B hinged to the frame on opposite sides, and provided with inwardly-projecting tines b b, the sling-rope E E passing through the cross-bar and attached to the bails, and an operating-rope E attached to the sling, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOHN PEAOON.

Witnesses:

L. W. BETHEL, A. F. SHULTZ. 

